Walnut Street Theatre Presents a Fresh Reworking of an Iconic Love Story

The film Love Story was a massive cultural phenomenon in the early 1970s. Adapted by Erich Segal from his novel of the same name, the romantic tragedy starred Ryan O'Neal and Ali MacGraw as two students from different social classes who meet at Harvard, fall in love, and wed. After which, personal tragedy strikes.

The original theme music written by Francis Lai was played throughout the movie and is one of the most iconic movie themes of that era. Now, the British composer and broadcaster Howard Goodall has written music for a stage production of Love Story. In the United States, Goodall is best known for writing TV and film themes for comedies starring Rowan Atkinson. These include the cult series Black Adder, and the Mr. Bean TV shows and films. He also recently re-orchestrated The Vangelis theme to Chariots of Fire for an Atkinson skit at the London Olympic Games opening ceremony with Simon Rattle conductng the London Symphony Orchestra.

Goodalls' works for the stage include The Hired Man, which won him a prestigious Ivor Novello award, Girlfriends, Days of Hope, and interpretations of Silas Marner and A Winter's Tale. His reworking of Love Story has already had a successful run in London’s West End and has its U.S. premier at the Walnut Street Theater in Philadelphia where Jim Cotter spoke with the composer.

Love Story, The Musical, from the original novel and screenplay by By Erich Segal, with book and lyrics by Stephen Clark, and music and additional lyrics by Howard Goodall, is at the Walnut Street Theatre through October 21st.